Can filler stirrup



Aug. 21, 1962 G. L. N. MEYER CAN FILLER STIRRUP 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 FiledFeb. 27, 1959 1962 G. L. N. MEYER 3,050,091

CAN FILLER STIRRUP I Filed Feb. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 1962 G. L. N.MEYER 3,050,091

CAN FILLER STIRRUP Filed Feb. 27, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f7? dlZ (or:Geozye Z. We 62" f?" W 3,050,091 CAN FHJLER STIRRUP George L. N. Meyer,Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Geo. J. Meyer Manufacturing Company,Cudahy, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Filed Feb. 27, 1959, Ser. No.796,080 3 Claims. (Cl. 141370) In filling cans with beer, it isessential that the can be accurately centered under the filler valve. Inorder to accurately center the cans, a star wheel is used to move thecans onto the stirrup and against a recess thereon. On account of thethinness of the cans, and their natural tendency to yield underpressure, the bottle grippers used in bottle fillers are not adaptableto can fillers. If the can is left loose on the stirrup without anyrestraint, the centrifugal force of the machine throws the can outwardlyslightly, causing this-alignment of the can when the stirrup raises itin engagement with the filler Valve.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a can fillingmachine with a stirrup which will positively grip the can and cause thecan to move up under the filler valve in alignment therewith.

Another object is to provide a stirrup for a can filling machine whichwill not bend nor crush the can during the filling thereof.

A further object is to provide a stirrup for a can filling machine whichwill prevent misalignment of the can with the filler valve.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a tates atentstirrup for a can filling machine, including a gripping member for thecan, which will permit ready disengagement of the can from the grippingmember.

A still further object is to provide a stirrup for a can filling machinehaving means to center the can accurately under the filler valve.

A further object of the invention is to provide a can filling machine,including stirrups to raise the can into engagement with the fillervalve, which will not mar or bend the material of the cans.

Still further objects will become apparent upon considering thefollowing specification, which when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings illustrates the preferred form of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the can filling machine showing the infeed starand the discharge star, and a portion of the stirrups mounted in properposition on the machine;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the machine shown in FIG. 1,showing a can in place on a stirrup about to be raised into fillingposition;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a single stirrup involving the elements of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is an elevational view of the stirrup shown in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of FIG. 3,looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1 and 2, thecans are brought onto the machine on an endless conveyor and are timedby a helical screw 12, the screw 12 synchronizing the arrival of thecans with the pockets of a star wheel 14 so that cans enter the pockets15 and are transmitted around the guide 16 and placed accurately onstirrups 18.

The stirrups 18 are mounted on an annulus and rotate about the centerthereof as the cans are being filled.

As seen in FIG. 2 the stirrups are mounted on the upper end of a squarepiston rod 20. The piston rod is actuated by a plunger and a cylinder(not shown) so that the stirrup will receive the can at the level of thebase Patented Aug. 21, 1962 plate '21, and raise the can into engagementwith the sealing ring (not shown) of the filler valve 23.

Details of the stirrup constituting the preferred form of the inventionare shown in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5.

Referring now to those figures, the stirrup has a base v26, madeintegrally with a depending square socket 27,

receivable over the piston rod 20.

The base is bored to receive a shaft 28, and held therein by a lock pin31. The shaft 28 mounts a roller 32 which contacts a cam at the properpoint in the rotation of the stirrup to lower the stirrup in the eventthat the piston and cylinder as shown fail to operate at the propertime.

An upstanding collar 34 is formed about the periphery of the top surfaceof the base 26 the inner surface of the collar opening outwardlyrelative to the rotation of the stirrup, and conforming to the outwardshape of the normally perfect can.

The collar has an annular recessed portion 37 to accommodate the bead ofthe can, so that the side of the can is received accurately in the innerarcuate surface of the collar, with the bead of the can projecting intothe recess 37.

The recess receives a permanent bar magnet 41 which provides a magneticfield adjacent the innermost position of the can. As the can comes ontothe stirrup, it is positioned in the arcuate collar 34 with the bead 0nthe lower end of the can entering the groove 37 in the collar.

As the can moves into the arcuate collar, the bar magnet 41 exerts amagnetic influence on the steel can to draw the can in tight against theinner surface of the collar. In this position the can is accuratelycentered under the filler valve 23 and is retained in that position bythe magnet 41 as the can is raised by the stirrup into engagement withthe filler.

After filling the can is lowered out of engagement with the valve and isremoved from the stirrup by the finger 43 on the guide plate 17.

-It will be realized that the herein described form of the invention isto be taken merely as a preferred embodiment thereof, and that variouschanges in size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of thesub-joined claims.

That which is claimed as new and is desired to be secured by UnitedStates Letters Patent is:

1. In a can filling machine of the character described, a stirrup havinga can-supporting surface adjacent the upper portion thereof composed ofnon-magnetic material, a collar extending upwardly from the plane ofsaid surface having a bead recess in said collar and adjacent the cansupporting surface of said stirrup to receive the lower bead of a can,said collar including a vertically extending cylindrical surface abovesaid recess conforming to the outer surface of the can to be filled anda magnet located in said collar extending tangentially to saidvertically extending cylindrical surface and disposed in the region ofmeeting of said can-supporting surface and said vertical surface, themagnet producing a magnetic field adjacent the surface of the cancausing the outer surface of the can to adhere to the vertical surfaceduring filling.

2. In a can filling machine of the character described, a stirrup havinga can-supporting surface adjacent the upper portion thereof composed ofnon-magnetic material, a collar extending upwardly from the plane ofsaid surface and having a bead recess in said collar adjacent the cansupporting surface of said stirrup adapted to receive the lower head ofthe can, said collar including a vertically extending cylindricalsurface above said recess conforming to the outer surface of the can tobe filled, and a horizontal bar magnet located in said collar dricalsurface adapted to produce a magnetic field adjacent the base of the canto retain the can in the collar prior to filling.

3. In a can filling machine of the character described, a stirrup havinga can supporting surface adjacent the upper portion thereof composed ofnon-magnetic material, a collar extending upwardly from the plane ofsaid surface, said collar including a vertically extending cylindricalsurface conforming to the outer surface of the can to be filled, and abar magnet located in said collar and disposed tangentially to the saidvertically extending cylindlical surface in the region of meeting ofsaid can supporting surface and said vertical surface, the magnetprodueing a magnetic field adjacent the surface of the can causing theouter surface of the can to adhere to the ver- 5 Meal surface duringfilling.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MeyerOct. 18, 1955

